Athlete Rhasidat Adeleke announced she won't complete the remainder of the world championships
Rhasidat Adeleke, the European silver medallist in the 400m and a key member of Ireland's 4x400m relay teams, has withdrawn from the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo due to ongoing injury setbacks. This unexpected withdrawal comes as a significant blow to Team Ireland's medal hopes, particularly for the individual sprints and the 4x400m relay events.
Adeleke's best 400m time this season (50.42) is well off the 49.07 she posted in Rome last summer, ranking her 26th worldwide. Her 200m best (22.52) ranks 36th, indicating that she was not yet at peak condition. These results reflect her struggles to replicate the form of previous seasons over the course of the summer.
The 4x400m women's relay team came close to a medal at the Paris Olympics, finishing fourth in the final. Adeleke herself had been a contender for medals, having finished fourth in the 400m final at the last World Championships (Budapest) and the recent Olympics. Her absence will undoubtedly affect Ireland's chances in the relay events.
Dave Matthews, Adeleke's coach, expressed his disappointment about her withdrawal from the World Championships. He mentioned that Adeleke only raced five or six times this year, a change from previous years. Matthews had previously stated that Adeleke's coaching team was targeting a global medal.
Adeleke announced her decision to withdraw from the World Championships and take the rest of the year off to recover on Instagram. Her 2025 season is now over due to injury setbacks. This withdrawal leaves a gap in the 4x400m mixed relay team, which won the inaugural European gold with Adeleke last year.
However, Sharlene Mawdsley and Jack Rafferty are running well for the 4x400m mixed relay team and may step up to fill the void left by Adeleke. The team will undoubtedly face challenges, but they remain hopeful for a strong performance at the World Championships.
Adeleke's injury-related withdrawal deals a blow to Ireland's medal ambitions at the World Championships, especially for the individual sprints and the 4x400m relay, delaying her opportunity to secure her first global championship medal until future seasons.
[1] BBC News [2] Irish Times [3] RTÉ Sport [4] The42 [5] The Irish Examiner
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